Superheater



M. HARD SUPERHEATER Jan. 1', 1935.

-Filed Nov. 15, 1935 Patented Jan. 1, 1935 invention ,relatesto superheaters cornpris- I ing :tubular, heating, elementsflocatedfin flues through which hotjga'ses'flow, suchsupifheatrs .b e'ing ulsed prim'aril'yin the' ordinaryI-,fire.tube ,5 locomotive." Aform of animated tubular heat- V ingt element for superheaters of this class is de scribed inl United States application 627,874 filed by C. W. Gordon et al. on AugustS, 1932, and the present invention relates to an improvement on the element there described. The object of the present invention is to introduce a further improvement which will obviate some possible disadvantages inthe prior form. The improvement will readily, be understood from the following description, which is to be read in connection with the annexed drawing. In this drawing Fig. l is a fragmentary View showing a horizontal section through one of the top flues of a locomotive, a tubular element embodying myirivention being located in the flue; Fig. 2is a lateral elevation of the forward part of the showing of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail top view of a portion of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a sectionon line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a lateral elevation of a variation and Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6; The flue of the locomotive is shown at 1 in Fig. 1, the gasses flowing from this flue in a direction'from left to right. 2 is the front flue sheet. Within this flue lies a superheating unit or element, which is supplied with steam through the inlet 3 and delivers steam in a superheatedcondition through the pipe 4. These pipes 3 and 4 are connected in the usual manner to a superheater header located in the smoke box of the 10- comotive and not shown in the drawing. Other superheating elements lie in flues below the one illustrated, the ends appearing at 4a and 4b and further elements lie in tiers of fluesparallel to this first tier. It will be suflicient for the present purpose to describe only the one element shown, the invention being applied to all the others in a way similar to that in which it is applied to the one described,

The inlet pipe 3 carries the steam to a connecting piece 5 from which there extend into the flue 1 the four pipes 66. These carry the steam in a direction counter to the gas flow toward the fire box end of the flue where they deliver it by means of a return structure 7 to the single return pipe 8, which at its forward end terminated in the delivery end 4.

All of this resembles closely the structure'described in the above-named application. My invention relates to the connecting piece 5.

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ture would flow both. on accunt of the influence of gravity and on account of the centrifugal action following from the shape of the steam path. Such moisture invariably contains in solution or suspension impurities which will be deposited in the tubes to which the moisture is delivered when the moisture is evaporated. If the moisture is all delivered into one or two of the pipes, the.

rate at whichthe solids accumulate in such a pipe or pipes is obviously greater than if the moisture could be evenly distributed between the four pipes. It is the object of the present invention to distribute such moisture substantially equally among the four pipes. While this does not obviate the objectionable depositing of solids in the pipes, it equalizes such deposits between the four pipes and thereby prolongs the period before the deposits accumulate in serious quantities. 7

To accomplish this object, I deliver the steam from inlet 3 into the connecting piece 5 tangentially, as clearly shown in the drawing and within the connecting piece 5 and at right angles to the axis of the flue 1 I place a partition 9 with a central opening 10. 'The tangential delivery of the steam results in a spiralwhirling flow of the steam and a separation of the moisture by the centrifugal force, the moisture accumulating in the space 11 in front of the partition 9 and whirling around along its outer wall in a circular path at right angles to the axis of the chamber. When enough moisture has accumulated in the chamber 11 to reach the annular inner edge of partition 9, further addition of moisture will result in some of it passing with the steam through the opening 10 in partition 9. On account of its whirling motion. this water will be distributed among the several pipes 6-6 opening from this chamber 12 instead of flowing to any one or two pipes.

some reason reach the superheater header and be delivered through inlet 3 to the connecting piece 5, such masses will by a similar action be- If larger masses or slugs of water should for In said former application a form of connecting piece is disclosed in which the return pipe 8 extends through the center of the connecting piece. My invention can likewise be applied to this form, and Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate this. The inlet 3a delivers steam and any entrained moisture tangentially to the connecting piece a and the partition 9a functions just as the partition in thetf'orm first described.

Othervariations will alsdbe possible without sacrificing the underlying inventive thought.

motive flue to absorb heat from the gases flowing through the flue and comprising a1 plurality of tubes arranged to receive steam Mina-"common? inlet pipe, a connecting piecerintowhichtherinlet;

gentiallmandthe tubesbeing connected to the connecting pieceat pointsfadjacent to its'outer wall; g

2." In; a superheateri'elernent ior usein alocomotive flueto' abstractheatfrom thega-s'e's flowmon inlet pipe, a connecting piece with a cylindrical interior, the inlet pipe opening tangentially into the interior and the tubes being connected to the connecting piece along the cylindrical wall equidistantly from the axis of the cylinder.

3. In a superheater element for use in a locomotive flue to abstract heat from the gases flowing'through the fine and comprising: a: plurality o-f' tubesarrangedwo receive-*steamfiom a common inlet pipe, a connecting piece with a cylindrical interior, the inlet pipe opening tangentially into the interior, the tubes being connected to 'and- -a partitionbetween, the opening of the inlet pipeandthetubeconnection points, the partition I g p a havingia-central aperture. pipe opens and from which the tubes extend, the inlet pipe opening into the connecting'piecevtam 4. A connecting piece in accordance with claim 3, the-partition being at right angles to the axis of the connecting piece. I

5;- A'connectingpiece inaccordance with claim 3", the'partition beingi at right angles to" the axis ofj'th'e-"connecting piece and the inlet pipe' opening'into the connectingpiece obliquely toits axis.

MALCOLMfHARD. 

